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Inform Educate Inspire
Equal Access International Offices
San Francisco, CA, USA (Headquarters)
Kabul, Afghanistan
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
N’Djamena, Chad
Kathmandu and Nepalgunj, Nepal
Mardan and Islamabad, Pakistan
Niamey, Niger
Abuja, Nigeria
Sana’a, Yemen
1212 Market Street
Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94102 USA
Phone: +1-415-561-4884
Fax: +1-415-561-4885
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.equalaccess.org
OUR VISION “A World in Dialogue Where All Voices are Heard and Respected.”
ABOUT US Equal Access is a communications for social change organization that combines the power of media with community mobilization. We aim to inform, educate and inspire men, women and youth to address critical challenges in their communities such as women and girls’ empowerment, youth life skills, economic development, public health, civic participation and governance, and human rights.
OUR MISSION To create positive social change for millions of underserved people in the developing world by delivering critically needed information and education through innovative media, appropriate technology and direct community engagement.
Cover photo by Lucy Lyon
We inform, educate and inspire attitude and behavior change.
MediaDistribution
DirectCommunity
Engagement
MediaProduction
SocialChange
Feedback vianew media
Voices from the field
Locallanguage
programming
Listeninggroups
Roundtableforums
Media capacity building
Leadershiptrainings
Social mediaand InteractiveVoice Response
Mobile theaterperformances
Radio, TV,and film
We implement innovative and scalable communication
solutions that reach underserved and remote
populations via multi-media tools.
We develop dynamic, local language media content that
is needs-driven and incorporates listener feedback.
We maximize impact through
community engagement at all levels.
Our Approach
Civic Participation & Governance
Our civic engagement programs help
create a more informed and engaged
citizenry. We provide communities
with civic education and the skills
they need to demand accountability
from their governments and to
participate more fully in shaping
public policy. We also combine our
media programming with public
forums and targeted trainings to
build the capacity of community
leaders and government officials
to be more responsive to their
constituents.
Agriculture & Economic Development
With more than half of the
workforce in developing countries
working in agriculture, it is
essential to provide information
to farmers. Through our media
programs that provide access to
industry experts and best practices,
we are empowering farmers
and local entrepreneurs to run
successful farms and small and
medium enterprises (SME), fueling
sustainable economic development
in local communities.
Health
Our popular radio series, TV
dramas and chat shows combined
with mobile SMS, street theater
performances, and community
outreach activities provide vital
information and education on HIV/
AIDS, malaria, maternal and child
health, family planning, nutrition,
and sanitation. Coupled with direct
engagement, our programs help
communities protect and advance
their health and well-being.
Our Programs
Women and Girls’ Empowerment
Equal Access is committed to
empowering girls and women by
providing them with information
and education vital to their lives.
Through our trusted radio programs,
listening groups and leadership
trainings, women in the developing
world are gaining new knowledge of
their rights. Covering a wide range of
women’s rights issues from gender-
based violence to child marriage,
our programs are helping millions of
women and girls transform their lives
and their communities every day.
Youth Life Skills & Livelihoods
Our youth life skills and livelihoods
programs address the root challenges
youth face and provide education
on vital life skills. Recognizing youth
for their enormous potential, our
participatory by-youth-for-youth media
programs build self-esteem, provide
skills training and empower youth
to become voices for change in their
communities.
Human Rights
Our dynamic media and community
engagement initiatives provide
essential knowledge of basic human
rights and how to protect them.
We teach tolerance and respect
through emphasizing listening and
dialogue, local solutions, and direct
access to support services. The most
marginalized communities are not
only heard, but equipped with the
training necessary to protect their
human rights.
Launched in 2011, the RIGHTS Initiative educated Yemeni youth
about their legal rights and equipped them with the necessary skills
to become engaged and active citizens. Through a national and
interactive conversation via radio, listening & discussion groups, youth
councils, roundtable forums and participatory theater, youth were
empowered to take ownership and exercise their right to democratic
participation.
Equal Access’ radio programs educated youth on topics including
legal rights, rule of law, and civic engagement. Program participants
were empowered to amplify their voices to shape public discourse,
with 50% of participants initiating campaigns from raising awareness
of women’s rights, early marriage, and girls’ education to anti-
corruption projects. The initiative culminated in a series of youth-
produced theater performances across the country that were covered
by local TV and print media outlets.
RIGHTS Initiative: Empowering Youth to Shape Public Policy & Civic Action
Success By The Numbers:
• 2,000 listening & discussion group meetings on legal rights, rule of
law, and civic engagement
• 6,600 youth participants with
50% of participants initiating civic
engagement projects
• 90% of listeners said that our radio program
had a positive impact, including greater support for female education and raising the legal marriage age
Yemen
“ Being a part of a youth council in my governorate means I will be able to inspire positive changes in my society. We are able to think of ways to help our society. This council committee provided us legitimacy so people will listen to us and respect our ideas.
Before I didn’t know many people, but now I have a lot of relationships within and beyond the governorates and am becoming more aware of my rights. I feel responsible for my community so I have to do something to make things right, to bring about positive change.”
Asma Mohammad Ahmed Alrashidi, youth council member from Mokalla
“ These youth are pretty smart, and I never miss their show because the subjects they talk about are so relevant to our everyday life! Through these episodes, they raise people’s awareness and try to change their negative behaviors—all of the youth should listen to this show so they can create a better future for our world.”
Female listener from Niamey, Niger
FACT: Burkina Faso has a large
youth population (74% under 30
and 47% under 15). However, our
media assessment showed that
youth aspirations and concerns
remain largely ignored by local
media. Equal Access is working to
fill the gap.
FACT: The democratically
elected President assumed
power in 2011 after
civil war broke out
in 2002. April 2013
was the first time
Ivoirians were able
to elect municipal
councils in more
than a decade. Our
training ensured
quality media
coverage of this
historic period.
FACT: Hausa is one of Africa’s
largest spoken languages
after Arabic, French, English,
Portuguese and Swahili.
Approximately 27 million Hausa
speakers live in Northern Nigeria.
Hausa is spoken as a first language
by about 34 million people and as
a second language by about 18
million more.
NIGERCHAD
NIGERIA
BURKINA FASO
COTEd’lvoire
Growth In Africa Programming
Burkina FasoIn 2008, Equal Access began working in Chad and Niger on Phase I of the Peace through
Development (PDEV I) project. PDEV I aimed to improve local governance in target communities
and empower at-risk youth to become active participants in their communities and the economy.
Building on five years of experience, Equal Access has expanded this work to neighboring Burkina
Faso. Programming in Burkina Faso started in 2013 and currently focuses on a weekly youth radio
program broadcast in two local languages.
Cote d’IvoireLeveraging Equal Access’ success in Francophone West Africa, our U.S.-based and regional staff
provided short-term technical expertise to train and mentor local media to improve the quality of
journalism and radio production in coverage of current political affairs in Cote d’Ivoire.
NigeriaEqual Access began operations in its fifth African country this year when it launched a project to
develop and operate a Hausa-language satellite television channel that addresses the needs and
priorities of Northern Nigerian citizens.
Sahel
Reaching approximately nine million people in Africa’s Sahel region
with themes of peace, non-violence and tolerance, Equal Access’
radio programs under the Peace Through Development (PDEV I)
project from 2008-2011 were highlighted as a notable achievement
by USAID West Africa. As a key implementing partner on the second
phase PDEV II project in Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso, Equal Access is
building on this impact with interactive youth and good governance
radio programs that increase moderate voices, promote community
resilience, and decrease the risk of violent extremism.
Beyond our in-house radio production, we have partnered with a
network of community reporters and local radio stations. Through
partner trainings and equipment support, local radio stations are
trained to develop high quality programming on serious and sensitive
issues to inform and engage their communities.
Success By the Numbers
• 89% of the Chad’s population regularly listens to
radio, with 52% tuning in to our good governance radio program Dabalaye and 33%
to our youth program Chabab al Haye
• After listening to our program, 43% of young adults in both Niger and Chad report voting , and 49% in Niger helped their peers make
informed decisions about sensitive issues
• To date, PDEV II broadcasts have elevated voices of
more than 600 moderate, local leaders
PDEV II:Peace Through Development
“I’m so pleased with the reporting work that I do, because it has allowed me to get my community featured in radio broadcasts! I’m even happier to see that the first few episodes have encouraged the youth in my community to be more open-minded towards job opportunities.
For example, when the town hall called for workers to clear the town’s gutters and litter, all of the youth applied! Several of the youth confirmed that it was thanks to the broadcasts that they felt motivated to step forward because they no longer felt shame in claiming these jobs.”
Djénéba Ouedraogo, Community Reporter from
Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso
“My radio station has been around for three years now. But it took being a broadcast partner for Equal Access to put us on the map and help us attract a regular listenership. I noticed at one of our community women’s meetings that most of the women had radio sets pressed to their ears. What a pleasant surprise to realize that they were listening to my station, to Equal Access’ Youth Boulevard show!”
Mariama Oubadawakim, Radio Canal Espérance,
Niamey, Niger
“ I listened to the information about citizenship distribution camps on local radio and visited the camp to obtain my citizenship certificate. I also got myself registered as a voter from the same place where I got my citizenship card. It would have been difficult if I had not heard about it on the radio.” Mamata Choudhari from Naumasta, Banke
Success By the Numbers
• 51 Listening groups formed with 26 trained Listening Club Facilitators across 8 districts
• Recruitment and training of 17 Community Action Researchers and 15 Community Reporters
• Partnership with 24 local FM stations, including capacity building training for local FM stations on good governance
• Production & Broadcast of 48 episodes on Sajhedari Bikaas themes
• Broadcast of Sajhedari radio program in 4 local languages via 8 local FM stations
In the Western Terai region of Nepal, the voices of women, youth and members of marginalized groups have not traditionally been included in defining development and local governance. As a partner on the Sajhedari Bikaas project, Equal Access is addressing the root causes of conflict and social instability by giving voice to the voiceless, creating dialogue and building the capacity of local media organizations.
With implementation beginning in 2013, we achieved success in the initial stages of this project. As a part of the Election and Citizenship Media campaign, Equal Access produced public service announcements (PSAs), encouraging citizens in target regions to obtain citizenship and voter registration papers at government-sponsored mobile service camps. Equal Access’ network of radio station partners broadcast the PSAs over 4,000 times over a period of two weeks. A rapid assessment after the campaign showed that 38% of those surveyed in service camps stated that they visited the camps due to the influence of the radio PSAs.
Using Radio and PSAs to Increase Democratic Participation & Voter Registration
Success By the Numbers
• 192 listening & discussion group
meetings led by 16 trained facilitators
• More than 2,730 men and women including religious leaders and community elders
participated in the listening circles
• 31,545 community members (53% male, 47% female) attended mobile theater
performances and participated in 40 post-
performance discussion groups
Strengthening Rule of Law through Protection of Women’s Rights and Access to Justice
Within Afghan society, there is a significant dearth of awareness
and knowledge of women’s rights and human rights, and how
those rights are enshrined under Islamic, Afghan and international
law. Connecting women’s rights to local and religious contexts and
building the understanding of those connections among local
leaders is essential to fostering increased awareness of and support
for the protection of women’s rights.
In 2012, Equal Access Afghanistan partnered with Canadian
Department of Global Peace and Security Fund to implement an
innovative and dynamic public information campaign to engage
religious and community leaders as well as community members
in promoting women’s rights. The project consisted of listening
groups across eight provinces, mobile theater performances and
post-performance discussion circles, and radio series on violence
against women and women’s rights.
Afghanistan
“On behalf of listening circle participants, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to understand our rights and discuss the issues with each other. Such programs in Afghanistan, especially in Baghlan province can prevent a wide range of violence.
I am a woman who has previously suffered violence from my husband and in-laws, but now their behavior has changed. Therefore media should increase the number of such programs so that no other women suffer oppression and cruelty and become aware of their rights.” Mrs. Zainab, resident of Pul-e-khumri city of
Baghlan province
Impact since 2003
• 1,500+ interactive radio episodes
and 30 original television programs
• 43 FM stations partners in 34 provinces
• 108 facilitated community listening & discussion groups that have conducted
13,000 meetings
• 600 Mobile Theater Performances
reaching 270,000 Afghans across 34 provinces
• More than 600 trainings, workshops and
public forums with 18,000 participants
• Strong network of CSOs, religious leaders, community
leaders, and youth unions across 34 provinces
Celebrating 10 Years in Afghanistan
Equal Access’ innovative media and community outreach in
Afghanistan dates back to our very first education project in 2003
in partnership with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education. The
launch of our initial program in Afghanistan took place at a time
when the national radio infrastructure had been destroyed by war,
and staff had to rely on portable satellite receivers to distribute
teacher training radio content to rural educators. Over the past
decade Equal Access has furthered social change across all sectors
of society, reaching over 10 million Afghan citizens.
Agriculture is a vital component of economic security
in the developing world. Equal Access works to
address inequity and a range of other imbalances
that negatively impact agricultural growth, food
supply, and value chain economics, as well as
nutrition and health outcomes among individuals
and communities. Recognizing the important role of
women and girls in agriculture, our programming is
gender-sensitive and focused on the inclusion and
improved status of women.
In Afghanistan, Equal Access produced and broadcast
weekly live call-in radio programs in Pashto and
Dari. The shows were broadcast in 18 provinces and
featured practical information on crop production,
storage, planting, marketing and other relevant
agricultural topics. Farmers in all 18 provinces
found the live call-in segments so helpful that they
requested increased time to speak to the experts.
Equal Access established two all-female listening
& discussion groups in Balkh and Badakshan. The
consistent feedback from the women participants
was that they were able to apply new knowledge
from the program to better cultivate their vegetables,
with hopes to increase their yields and grow their
incomes from the sale of their produce.
Agriculture Leads to Economic Security
“I have learned lots of things about agriculture and cultivation from these programs. For example, I didn’t know about crop rotation and what to cultivate in which season and I learned these things from your programs.”
Darwaish Mohammad from Herat
“My name is Fauzia from Badakhshan province. I cultivate vegetables. These programs are really nice and useful for the farmers. I learned about good seeds, insects in wheat storage and control of melon flies. We want to hear more and more of these programs to learn from them and benefit from their instructions.”
Female farmer from Badakhshan
Economic Development through Entrepreneurship
In Cambodia, Equal Access developed and produced a
long-running radio series called Success Starts with You
that focused on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSME), entrepreneurship and other business skills. This
nation-wide project facilitated technical and business
assistance to thousands of businesses in rural Cambodia
with the aim of improving regulations, productivity,
cooperation, and ultimately, profits.
Our radio episodes, television public service
announcements, and trainings concentrated on some
of Cambodia’s leading rural industry sectors including
swine-raising, water and sanitation, aquaculture, eco-
tourism, and non-timber forest products as well as
urban-oriented industries such as the garment sector.
Bringing together business development experts,
industry workers and government officials, Success Starts with You established a modern and informative
learning environment for business owners.
The show highlights best practices in industry sectors,
promotes sustainable business growth and gives
information on simple, yet vital, topics such as how to
write a business plan, the principles of marketing and
business group formation.
“ I have gained new knowledge about fish feed from the radio program. It has enabled me to produce feed by myself without spending too much money and time buying feed from the market. The radio program helped me to be successful in my business, which also helps improve my standard of living.”
Fish farmer from Kratie province
“ This program is very good for people in the countryside to better understand how to raise swine and how to build a market for swine.”
Radio listener from Pursat province
On March 7, 2013,
Equal Access Nepal
was honored
with the Avon
Communications
Award “Speaking
Out About Violence
Against Women” for
their work on the
VOICES- Samajhdari project that broke Nepal’s silence on
gender-based violence for the very first time.
Actress and Avon Foundation for Women Ambassador
Salma Hayek Pinault presented the award during an
adjunct event to the 57th session of the Commission
of the Status of Women at the United Nations. The
prestigious award recognizes Equal Access Nepal’s tireless
efforts to end violence against women.
“ We tried to address the intersection between HIV & AIDS and Violence Against Women. It was found that majority of the women living with HIV & AIDS were also the victims of violence. This award inspires us to work further in the field.”
Dr. Bharat Devkota, Executive Director,
Equal Access Nepal
Equal Access Receives Avon Global Communications Award
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What Others Say About Us
“ The scalability, replicability and positive impact demonstrated by Equal Access’ project methodology is quite impressive and accordingly deserves due recognition.”
Marshall Smith, former Education Director,
Hewlett Foundation
“ Sesame Workshop is proud to partner with Equal Access to create a radio series that not only seeks to educate and prepare children for a lifetime of learning, but does so in a way that utilizes the most impactful and effective form of media in Afghanistan. With less than two-thirds of Afghanistan’s children enrolled in primary school, Bagch-e-Simsin provides content that is critical to children’s education countrywide.” H. Melvin Ming, CEO and President,
Sesame Workshop
“ Equal Access’ programs gradually help to increase the level of knowledge in society. If multiple social units in society [work] together and produce effective and useful programs as Equal Access, we would see a great positive change in society.”
Mohammad Asif Nanag,
Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Education
“ Their innovative model directly benefits Afghan communities, breaking down barriers to the advancement of democracy and human rights in Afghanistan through regular broadcasts of engaging radio programming and direct community outreach.”
Jennifer King, U.S. Department of State
Transforming Lives Story by Story
We celebrated 10 years of service in
Afghanistan, and are proud to be reaching
over 10 million Afghan citizens through
partnerships with 43 local radio stations.
Over 500 SMS per month were received
from active listeners of our Cambodian
program, demonstrating high levels of
listener engagement.
Last year, our female community reporters in
Niger captured over 491 “voices from the
field” submissions, helping to give power to the
voiceless .
In Nepal, we held 1,196 person days of
training in 2012, with a majority of women
and youth participating in our leadership and
human rights workshops .
3,000 Yemeni youth attended listening &
discussion groups on civic participation and youth
life skills last year. Youth attended 48 discussion
group meetings, with 50% participation by girls.
In Chad, Equal Access has 15 radio station
partners and hosted three-week radio
training internships to develop the skills of
rural journalists.
Zabeehullah Jalil
Security and Program Manager, Equal Access Afghanistan
I have always had dreams for peace, but as an Afghan, unfortunately a
considerable part of my life has occurred in war-affected places and in
settlements outside the country. When I repatriated to Afghanistan in
September 2006 after nearly 16 years in Pakistan as a migrant, I found
everything to be different and had to start from zero. I was very happy
to be hired at Equal Access because it corresponded with my interest
and passion for languages, and simultaneously introduced me to
advocacy, business development, project management, and leadership.
At Equal Access, there is space to communicate my thoughts and ideas for the best implementation of projects, thereby partly
quenching my unceasing thirst to contribute to activities that produce positive changes in people’s lives around the country.
I am very lucky to be a part of the Equal Access family where I can both further develop my talents and work toward the
enlightenment of people’s minds, the promotion of democratic values, and the happiness and prosperity of life.
Kader Idi
Country Director, Equal Access Niger
After spending 10 years as a journalist who yearned to do more for his
country, joining Equal Access in 2008 has transformed my life. I now feel
more valuable and am actively engaged in a dawning of consciousness
for Nigerien people. Equal Access has taught me how to utilize the
power of media in the face of violent extremism. We have taught local
radios their role in promoting peace, we have created much-needed
dialogue inside families and within communities, and so much more.
There is a proverb “it is not enough to give a man a fish, you must teach
him to fish for himself.” Equal Access has mastered this philosophy through teaching radio stations how to work innovatively
to solve problems. I’m proud of the reception I get around the country now: “You’re at Equal Access, the organization that
introduced the idea of community reporters in Niger and taught us to use Zoom Recorders.” Though it pains me that my
country lives under the threat of atrocities like extremism, I believe that it is organizations like Equal Access that will educate the
Nigerien population and help us to reclaim control of our future.
Fadassa Djibrine
Producer, Equal Access Chad
In Chad, prevailing socio-cultural mores try to relegate women
to second class citizenship and prevent them from voicing their
opinions among men. Driven by the desire to serve society, I found
that I could break this taboo using the power of radio. Before I
even left high school I was already dabbling in radio, dedicating
weekends to encouraging women to fight for the spotlight and
youth to be optimistic leaders in their communities.
Equal Access gave me the opportunity to pursue this dream as
a career, and after starting as a Production Assistant in 2010 I’m proud today to call myself an Equal Access Producer and
to be inspiring Chadian audiences through the episodes I create. I teach people to band together to strengthen good
governance, to pursue efficient and sustainable development, and to promote peace that will put an end to the decades
of conflict that our country has known. Thanks to the programs I’ve produced with Equal Access, I have even been able
to witness a change in the youth in my own neighborhood. For example, during the rainy season the youth in our
community are now mobilizing committees to clear gutters to prevent flooding and maintain the roads to ensure the
welfare of all citizens.
Achala Rajbhandari
Administration Manager, Equal Access Nepal
Equal Access Nepal has helped me understand people and their
perspective from a very holistic approach, which has helped me
hone my professional skills. The best part about my work here at
Equal Access Nepal is the opportunity that I have been granted to
reach out to people; as every interaction, every moment spent with
my colleagues, all with diverse backgrounds, not only makes my
job interesting, but also provides me an enriching opportunity to
realize the positive CHANGE that is wistfully within each of us! This
is also one of the reasons for my long lasting involvement with the organization since 2005. At Equal Access Nepal, I grow, I
learn and this is where I find CHANGE.
Featured Staff from the Field
Listenership
Our programs reach tens of millions of listeners, with 15 MILLION active listeners across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Content
With 1,265 original episodes locally produced in 2012, Equal Access is able to deliver rich-quality content that is needs-driven and highly relevant to local contexts. We produce award-winning programs in 19 different languages, many of them minority languages. In addition, we partnered with over 116 local radio stations that broadcast our popular shows and received media training from our staff.
Engagement
Direct engagement activities that empower individuals to apply new information to improve their lives are an essential component of our methodology. More than 73,384 individuals participated in Equal Access’ engagement activities in 2012. We utilize a series of engagement tools including listening circles and discussion groups, mobile theater performances, stakeholder workshops, content advisory groups, and public forums that bring together community members, government officials, and civic leaders to address root challenges and encourage positive behavior change.
Training
In the past year, Equal Access has trained 3,035 individuals, including men, women, and youth. Through our face-to-face training workshops for women leaders, educators, listening group facilitators, community reporters, media professionals, and youth, our trainees gain the skills they need to become changemakers in their communities. The knowledge gained through our trainings is subsequently reinforced through media programs, listening group discussions, and mobile theater performances.
1,265 Episodes
645 hours of content
116 local radio partners
19 languages
61,600 Mobile Theater Attendees
38,228 Messages received via SMS, IVR, and user activity on social media platforms
8,694 Listening Discussion Group Members attended 5,056 meetings
1,402 Community leaders, experts, and stakeholder forum participants
3,035 persons trained
50% of the trainees were
women and youth100
Community Reporters
trained
1,153 Media capacity
trainings
511 Leadership
trainings
468 Human rights
trainings
73,384 Persons Directly Engaged
15,000,000
g
Organization Metrics
Expense Allocation
General Administrative 13.32%
Program 86.42%
Fundraising 0.25%
Equal Access International is an independent nonprofit,
charitable organization that is exempt from Federal Income
taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Contributions to Equal Access International for its exempt
purposes and mission are tax deductible. Equal Access
International is also registered with the U.S. Agency for
International Development as a private voluntary organization.
In 2012, Equal Access implemented programs across eight
countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, with support
of a diverse range of donors and partners including UN
Agencies, bi-lateral and multi-lateral aid agencies, international
development agencies, foundations and individual donors.
With a clear focus on the fulfillment of our mission, we have
maintained a consistent level of General and Administrative
costs over the past four years, while maintaining low
fundraising costs. Fundraising costs were less than 1% while
86.42% of every dollar went to Program Services and Support.
Financial information presented in this report was drawn from
the audited financial statements of Equal Access, which were
prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.
Electronic copies of our audited financial statements are
available on request.
Explanatory note from Controller
Equal Access International Condensed Financial Information for Year Ending December 31, 2012
Revenue $ 4,018,792
Program Services $ 3,208,245
Program Support $ 330,280
G&A $ 545,504
Fundraising $ 10,431
Total Expenses $ 4,094,460
Increase in Unrestricted Net Assets ($ 75,668)
Financials
Leadership CircleRobert Berg
Mary Beth Garber
Ronni Goldfarb
Richard & Lois Gunther
Mark Gunther and Anne Krantz
The Avram Miller Family Foundation
PatronsAnnette Brown
William H. Draper III & Phyllis C. Draper
Thomas Gottlieb & Carol Kirsh
Andrew & Teresa Gunther
Julie Gupta
Lisa & Charly Kleissner
Eddie Lee & Square Two Design
Saswati Paul & Nathan Krishnan
James & Kathleen Tobin
SupportersJulia Arant
Jefferson Asher Jr.
Didi & David Barrett
Catherine Brady & Steven Kahn
Theodore Brown
Sushanta Datta
Lisa Ellis
Luisa Engel
Gary & Charlene Forbes
Charles & Diane Frankel
Patrick and Julie Garvey
Andrew Gordon
Chester Haskell
Po Ho & Fung Yee Yeu
Anna Huang
Rudy and Janet Hurwich
Terry Kramer
Laura & Gary Lauder
Mark Levy
Steven Paul Okuhn MD
John O’Neil
Alakananda & Dilip Kumar Paul
Janet & Richard Sitts
Lianne Sorkin
FriendsNilmoni Bhattacharya
Michael Bosse
Theodore Brown
Fonda Charne
Nita & Gary Chesler
Chuck Cohen & Janet Mercer
Lynn Coopersmith
Sydney Fulop
Thomas Fondungallah
Tamara Free
Pranab & Manjula Ghosh
Barry & Karen Goldfarb
Joyce Goldfarb
Philip Goldfarb
Richard Goldfarb
Anand & Shilipi Samaya Gowda
Charles Gronbach & Liz Russell
Dan & Katherine Gunther
Natalie Manzino
Duncan Meaney
Jeffrey Miller
Renee Montagne
Duncan and Eugenia McNaughton
Adam Noyce
David Oppenheimer
Ganesh & Vasavi Ramachandran
Cynthia Reeves
Mark Rovai
Bratin & Raka Saha
Diane Schlatus
Carol Silver
Marcia & Bernard Sosnick
Richard Sutherland
Leigh Anne Varney
Richard Williams
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
United States Institute for Peace (USIP)
United Way
UN Women
University Research Co., LLC (URC)
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
USAID, Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI)
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT)
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights,
and Labor (DRL)
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)
U.S. Department of State, Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
Western Digital
World Education
Individual Donors
Thank You
Institutional Supporters
Aecom Technology Corporation
Asian Development Bank/ Ministry of Interior of Cambodia
The Asia Foundation
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited Royal Bank
(ANZ)
BBC World Service Trust
British Council
British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
Canadian Southeast Asia Regional HIV/AIDS Program
The Caroline Ramsay Merriam Fund
Creative Associates International
Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI)
Edgerton Foundation
Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands (EKN), Yemen
Embassy of the United States, Afghanistan: Kabul, Kandahar, and
Helmand
Embassy of the United States, Chad
Embassy of the United States, Pakistan
GlobalGiving
Global Peace and Security Fund (GPSF) Canada
Internews Europe
International Relief and Development (IRD)
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Open Society Institute (OSI)
Options
Pact
Partnership for Child Development, Imperial College London
Partners for Development (The Global Fund to fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria)
National Radio Kampuchea Cambodia
Sesame Workshop
Search for Common Ground
TetraTech DPK
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP)
Impact SnapshotEqual Access is an award-winning communications for social change organization that combines the power of media with community mobilization. While we excel at providing accurate and timely information, our real success lies in empowering individuals to apply the knowledge gained from our programs to improve their lives and become changemakers in their communities.
host country nationals
Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment
Youth Life Skills & Livelihoods
Human Rights
Civic Participation & Governance
Agriculture & Economic Development
Health
Media Content: Chat Shows Dramas Education Programs PSAs Print Documentaries Social Media
Community Engagement:Community ReportersLeadership TrainingForums & MeetingsListening ClubsMobile Theater Youth-Directed EngagementMedia Training
Our Approach
Our Reach
Program Areas
Program Services
Our Staff
Where We Work
INFORM
EDUCATE INSPIRE
marginalized individuals were reached across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
75,000,000
150globally
99%
Board and StaffBoard of Directors
James Tobin, ChairFounder of Tobin Law Group, focused on convergence of Internet and traditional telecom industries
Saswati Paul, Vice ChairERISA Counsel with Tobin Law Group, focused on employee benefits and ERISA fiduciary issues
Ronni Goldfarb, PresidentFounder of Equal Access International; Appointed by Secretary of State Clinton as Commissioner to the U.S. National Commission to UNESCO from 2010 to present
Robert J. BergPreviously Founding Director of Evaluation, USAID and founding Chair of Evaluation of the OECD grouping of donor governments; Senior Advisor to four parts of the United Nations; Trustee, World Academy of Art and Science
Annette BrownDeputy Director at the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) in charge of Advancement and Impact Evaluation Services, as well as Head of the 3ie Washington office and Head of 3ie’s HIV/AIDS grant-making programs
Amir DossalFounder of the Global Partnerships Forums; Co-Initiator of the Pearl Initiative, promoting transparency and accountability in the Gulf Region
Mary Beth GarberExecutive Vice President/Radio Analysis and Insights at Katz Radio Group
Tom GottliebManaging General Partner of Geolo Capital
Julie GuptaManaging Director at Gupta Consulting
Jennifer Hamilton, Corporate TreasurerIndependent Consultant to Startups focused on Strategy, Innovation and Operations
Jennifer LouieProgram Manager at Google, Inc., Revenue Acceleration Opportunities & New Product Solutions
Mary MacPhersonFormer senior executive at Apple, MCI and Blackboard; Founder of M2Works, LLC, a consultancy practice that specializes in entrepreneurship, international development, public private partnerships among other things.
Mark Gunther, Chair EmeritusManaging Director of the Eva Gunther Foundation, providing special girls unique opportunities and enhancing community among girls service organizations
Ambassador James Michel, Special Advisor
Senior Management Team
Ronni Goldfarb, Founder, President & CEOLisa Ellis, Chief Operating Officer; Corporate SecretaryAnna Huang, Controller; Assistant Corporate TreasurerGordon Shettle, Director of ProgramsPuanani Forbes, Senior Business Development ManagerDr. Anwar Jamili, Country Director AfghanistanLamoussa Robgo, Country Director Burkina FasoBorey Koy, Executive Director MediaOne Cambodia Zara Mahamat Yacoub, Country Director ChadUpendra Aryal, Acting Executive Director, DBI/Equal Access NepalAbdoul Kader Mamane Idi, Country Director NigerWaseem Mahmood, Director General, Hausa 1 project, NigeriaIrfan Younas, Country Director PakistanBinita Shrestha, Country Director Yemen
In addition, Equal Access has a staff of more than 150 individuals worldwide—more than 99% are host country nationals. We also engage more than 130 Equal Access trained Community Reporters worldwide and 100% are host country nationals.
Inform Educate Inspire
Equal Access International Offices
San Francisco, CA, USA (Headquarters)
Kabul, Afghanistan
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
N’Djamena, Chad
Kathmandu and Nepalgunj, Nepal
Mardan and Islamabad, Pakistan
Niamey, Niger
Abuja, Nigeria
Sana’a, Yemen
1212 Market Street
Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94102 USA
Phone: +1-415-561-4884
Fax: +1-415-561-4885
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.equalaccess.org